The Dark Knight Coaster

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The Dark Knight Coaster
Coordinates
19°17′36″N 99°12′39″W / 19.2933°N 99.2107°W / 19.2933; -99.2107
StatusOperating
Opening dateMarch 9, 2009 (2009-03-09)
General statistics
Type
Flash Pass available at all three Six Flags parks.
Single rider line available
The Dark Knight Coaster at RCDB

The Dark Knight Coaster is the name of three enclosed steel roller coasters located at Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Great America, and Six Flags México. They opened in 2008 and 2009, timed closely to the theatrical release of The Dark Knight.[1][2] All three installations were manufactured by Mack Rides.

History

Six Flags Great Adventure

At

Movietown Water Effect were removed to make way for the construction of The Dark Knight.[3] The roller coaster primarily occupies the previous location of the Movietown Water Effect, with the queue area placed in front of the building. Original plans called for the demolition of the Batman & Robin: The Chiller station and observatory but were later excluded from demolition plans. The exit was originally slated to go through the present Justice League gift shop adjacent to the ride, but this turned out not to be the case. On May 15, 2008, The Dark Knight officially opened to the public.[4]

Six Flags Great America

At Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, the building housing Theater Royale was extensively modified and themed as a Gotham City Rail terminal in preparation for The Dark Knight.[5] The new ride officially opened to the public on May 21, 2008.[6]

For the 2022 season, the park added a single rider line to the ride.[7]

Six Flags New England and Six Flags México

In February 2008, construction on the ride started at

Mexico City, Mexico, where it opened during the 2009 season.[9][10] It has been operating at that location since March 19, 2009.[10] Gotham City Gauntlet: Escape from Arkham Asylum took over the area at Six Flags New England in 2011.[11]

Theme

The Dark Knight Coaster is inspired by the 2008 film

Wild Mouse coaster that puts guests through the premise of being stalked by the Joker
. It is considered a family ride rather than a thrill ride.

Summary

The entrance of the ride at Six Flags Great America.

Queue and pre-show

After an outdoor, lightly themed queue area, riders enter a pre-show room where they view a TV broadcast of a press conference hosted by Gotham City district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). One of the reporters asks about the Joker cards found at recent crime scenes. Almost immediately, the Joker himself hijacks the TV broadcast and his messages (such as "HA HA!") appear all over the walls of the room. Guests then enter the secondary queue area, which features a TV screen in which guests can see themselves. The two guests closest to the camera have joker masks digitally superimposed over their faces.

Ride

At the loading station, the cars normally move through continuously. Guests unload at the rear of the platform, after which guests from the queue immediately load. Unlike almost all the other coasters in the park, there are no gates on the loading platform. Lapbars are locked and checked as the car approaches the front of the platform, then it proceeds onto the lift. The ride itself consists of several sharp hairpin turns and sudden drops, accented by various eerily lit

Wild Mouse
roller coaster layout.

See also

References

  1. ^ Six Flags Great Adventure. "Six Flags Great Adventure Announces 'The Dark Knight' Themed Coaster for 2008 Season". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  2. ^ Six Flags. "Six Flags Releases New Elements of 'The Dark Knight' Coaster". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  3. ^ Marden, Duane. "Batman And Robin: The Chiller  (Six Flags Great Adventure)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  4. ^ Marden, Duane. "Dark Knight  (Six Flags Great Adventure)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  5. ^ "Construction Photos: Six Flags Great America". Six Flags. February 5, 2008. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  6. ^ Marden, Duane. "Dark Knight  (Six Flags Great America)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
  7. ^ Kirby, Hannah. "Six Flags Great America in Gurnee is set to open for the season this week. Here's what's new". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  8. ^ "Six Flags: No Dark Knight coaster in 2008". News Article. MassLive.com. April 15, 2008.
  9. ^ Marden, Duane. "Dark Knight  (Six Flags New England)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  10. ^ a b Marden, Duane. "Dark Knight  (Six Flags Mexico)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 26, 2011.
  11. ^ Marden, Duane. "Gotham City Gauntlet Escape from Arkham Asylum  (Six Flags New England)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 26, 2011.

External links